Police: Woman faces charges after falsely reporting ex-husband sexually assaulted her

A South Congaree woman was taken into custody after she falsely told police her ex-husband sexually assaulted her after breaking into her home.

South Congaree Police Department officials said Tammy Lawhorne Bedenbaugh, 36, has been charged with filing a false police report of a felony violation in connection with the investigation.

Officials said Bedenbaugh called police on Oct. 27 stating that her home was broken into by her ex-husband. Bedenbaugh then told police that he tied her up and sexually assaulted her. She gave a statement to police saying the same thing, officials said.

After further investigation, officials said South Congaree investigators located Bedenbaugh’s ex-husband, who is a truck driver, and were able to verify through his employer that he was across the country during the time of the alleged assault.

Bedenbaugh then moved out of the South Congaree area to some other area of the state, officials said. A statewide search was launched for Bedenbaugh before she eventually drove from the Beaufort area Thursday morning and turned herself in.

It is unclear why Bedenbaugh reported the assault, officials said.

She is currently being held at the Lexington County Detention Center awaiting a bond hearing.

This story was originally published February 4, 2016 at 12:44 PM.